Journal lubricator



United States PatntO This invention relates to journal lubrication and.more particularly to an improved wick oiler device for 'lubricatingaxles or journals and the like of railway rolling stock. I I

The principal object of the presentinvention is to provide an improvedlubricator for continuously supplying liquid lubricantdirectly to.amoving surface, and having 1 excellenttwear characteristics. ,1.

Another object is to provide a journal lubricator that will remain infixed lubricating position relative to the surface to be lubricated.

Still another object is to provide a journal lubricator that is simplein construction, economically manufactured and highly efficient inoperation.

These and still other objects and advantages will become apparenthereinafter.

The invention is embodied in a journal lubricator including a body ofresilient material having encased wicking bundles extending therethroughand forming a mat of wick material on opposite surfaces thereof, and anabsorbent wear resistant covering around the body in contact with themats of wick material, the body and covering being formed into a saddlefor spaced surface numerals refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. l is a perspective view, partly broken away, showing a journallubricator embodying the present invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse cross-sectional view of the lubricator takensubstantially along line 2-2 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the lubricator takensubstantially along line 3-3 of Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the lubricatorpositioned in a typical journal box, and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Referring now to the drawings in detail and particularly to Figs. 4 and5, it will be seen that a journal lubricator constructed according tothe present invention is adapted to be positioned in a typical journalbox 11 for lubricating contact with a journal or axle 12. The journalbox 11 includes a curved lower wall 13, side walls 14 and houses abearing 15 seated on the shaft 12. The journal box 11 also includes theusual opening 16 for inserting the lubricator 10 and adding lubricant(not shown) as needed, the opening 16 being closed by a cover 17.

The lubricator 10 comprises a resilient, oil, acid and heat resistantbody 18, preferably formed of synthetic foam such as neoprene orpolyurethane plastic. The body 18 has upper and lower surfaces 19 and 20which may have longitudinal grooves 21 and 22 formed therein at thetransverse center of the body 18. If desired, the body 18 may berectangular in cross-section, but the cen- 2,920,928 Patented Jan. 12,1960 ter portions of the surfaces 19 and 20 may'be'drawn togetherorcompressed so that the lubricator 10 has a saddle shape. A pluralityof openings or bores 23 are formed in the body 18 between the surfaces19 and 20 for receiving wick members 24.

Each of the wick members 24 comprises a plurality of strands of fibrousmaterial, such as cotton yarn or the like, forming a bundle 25, thematerial having excellent absorption or capillaryattraction forlubricant. The bundle or strands 25 are encased in a braided covering orsleeve 26 having a length substantially the same as the axial dimensionof the bores 23, and this length is shorter than the over-all length ofthe bundle 25. Accordingly, the upper and lower ends 27 and 28 of eachbundle 25 extend out of the sleeve 26 and form tufts, which are flaredout and substantially ,cover the entire upper and lower surfaces 19 and20 of the body 18. The braided sleeves 26 also have good absorptioncharacteristics for lubricant. I 1

The body 18 and wick members 25 are encased in a covering 29'formed of asuitable fibrous base 30 and having a closely woven chenile cord 31forming relativelysmall closed loops covering the entire exteriorsurface of ,the base 30. The cord 31' is formed on the base 30 in such amanner that the "wear of one'loop, or a pull exerted thereon, will notcause the entire cord to ravel. Accordingly, snagging of the cord 31 bya rough spot on the shaft 12 of a railway car or the like will not causethe lubricator 10 to become entangled and fail, whereby a hot box mayoccur due to improper lubrication. It will be noted from Fig. 1 that thecovering 29 extends longitudinally beyond the body 18 and forms a.

peripheral flange 32 for added protection to the body. The margin 33 ofthe flange 32 is bound in any suitable manner to form a wear resistantabutment for contact shoulders 34 of the shaft 12 to maintain thelubricator 10 in fixed axial position relative to the shaft 12.

When the covering 29 is positioned around the body 18, the upper andlower walls 35 and 36 of the covering are pulled together and attachedin any suitable manner such as by stitching 37. Accordingly, thelubricator has a saddle shape or spaced apart longitudinal contactsurfaces for wicking contact with the shaft 12.

In operation, the lubricator 10 is positioned in a journal box 11 and iswedged between the lower wall 13 and the axle 12. The body 18 iscompressed slightly to exert a yieldable force maintaining the contactsurfaces of the upper wall 35 of the covering 29 in abutment with theshaft 12. The covering 29 and wick members 24 become saturated withlubricant, which is passed upwardly to the axle 12 by capillary actionin the usual manner. Improved stability of the present lubricator 10 inthe journal box 11 is obtained by the saddle construction of thelubricator whereby it cannot become displaced. Furthermore, theinability of the covering 29 to ravel provides a lubricator having longwear characteristics, and the bundles 25 of the wick elements 24 assurean improved and continuous supply of lubricant to the contact surfacesof the covering 29.

This invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications in thepresent disclosure which will be readily apparent to all skilled in theart, and is to be limited only by the claims which follow.

What we claim is:

l. A lubricator device comprising a resilient body having an openingtherein, an absorbent wick member positioned in the opening extendingthrough the body and having flared end tuft above said body, and anabsorbent wear-resistant covering having an exposed abutment surface andan interior surface in contact with said end tuft.

2. A lubricator device comprising a resilient body having an openingtherethrough, a wick member positioned in said opening and including abundle of absorbent mai terial in an absorbent sleeve, the ends ofsaidbundle being flared and forming tufts above and below said body, and anabsorbent wear-resistant covering in contact with said tufts and'ha-vingan exposed abutment-surface. p

3. A lubricator device comprising a resilient bodyhaving an openingtherethrough, a wick member-in said' opening and including a bundle ofyarn encased in an absorbent sleeve,.the ends of the bundle being-flaredoutwardly and forming tufts projecting beyond said' body, and awear-resistant covering having a fabric base and being covered, withloops of absorbent material, said covering being in contact with saidtufts and-having an exposed abutment surface.

4. A lubricator device comprising a-resilientbody having a pluralityofopenings therein, a wick member p'ositioned in each of said openings andincluding a bundle of absorbent material encased inan absorbentsleeve,ends of the bundles extending-out of'tlie body 'and forming a matsubstantially-covering a surface of said body, and a wear-resistantabsorbent coveringin contact with said mat and having an exposedabutment surface,

5. A lubricator device comprising a resilient body having a plurality ofopenings, a wick member positioned in each of said openings andincluding a plurality of'strands of absorbent yarn and a braidedabsorbent sleeve encasing said strands intermediate the ends thereof,said sleeve being substantially coextensive with said opening,

the end portions of said wick members being flared outwardly of saidopeningformingamat substantially covering a surface of said body, and awear-resistant absorbent covering circumscribing said body and being incontact with said mat, said covering having an exposed transfer surfaceformed of closelyadjacent, closed loops of absorbent material. 7

6. A lubricator device comprising a resilient body having a plurality ofspaced openings, 21 wick member positioned, in each of said openings andincluding a plurality of strands ofa bsorbentyarn' and an absorbentsleeve, each sleeve having a length substantially the same as that ofthe opening therefor and assembling said strands of yarn incloselyadjacentrelationship, an end portion of the strands of each wiclgmember extending out of said sleeve and said body andbein'g flared outinto an exposed position forming a mat substantially covering a surfaceof said body and an absorbent wear-resistant covering in contact withthe exposed mat forming ends of said strands.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

